Adif upgrades Valladolid - León line for 300km/h operation

SPAIN’s infrastructure manager Adif is working on a project to complete the track doubling of the entire 165km Valladolid - Palencia - León high-speed line and install ERTMS Level 2 to enable the maximum speed to be increased from 200km/h to 300km/h.

Only one track was laid on the majority of the Palenica - León high-speed line apart from a 40km section in vicinity of Villada which is double track and a 7km section of double track on the approach to León.

Adif says it has completed the final tests for the implementation of ERTMS between Valladolid and León, and is now analysing the results to determine if any adjustments to the ERTMS software are needed which would require more tests. This will be followed by driver training, commercial tests and authorisation by the State Railway Safety Agency (AESF).

The change from the national Asfa signalling system to ERTMS Level 2 will enable trains to operate at 300km/h and, coupled with the introduction by Renfe of Avril high-speed trains, allow a 10-minute reduction in Madrid - León journey times.